Back in March, Armenia decided to withdraw due to security concerns with the host country, Azerbaijan even though Armenia was on the official participants list.
EBU will force AMPTV to pay all the participation fees plus a 50% more of this, then AMPTV must broadcast the three shows with no interruptions.
According to the Director of Media Relations of the EBU, Annika Nyberg-Frankenhauzer the EBU has studied the withdrawal of the Caucasian country closely, and they determined that these sanctions are the most appropriate for Armenia, in case that AMPTV refuses the conditions given by the EBU, AMPTV will be expelled from the EBU, which means that Armenia could not take part in further editions of the contest.
“There are regulations, and after a certain period of time a country wishing to take part in the competition, can not change its decision.” Annika Nyberg-Frankenhauzer said.
Eurovision Diary! 
I don’t understand, it means that Armenia will not be in the ESC 2013??? 😦
If they don’t do as EBU say, they won’t ever be at ESC. Not only 2013.
Hmm…
I hope they will return to ESC in 2013, without politic conflicts in song contest. 🙂
Yes, I hope so. Music is supposed to be above politics.
Since I do not know the details that led to Armenia withdrawing, I cannot say whether this fine is fair or not. Anyway, adding 50 % of the participation fee shouldn’t be that much. I certainly hope that Armenia will come back next year!
Armenia will not be allowed into any future editions if their broadcaster AMPTV don’t screen the three shows this year, that’s the clinker! The fines are reasonable but the threat of expulsion is severe.
I think it is stange that AMPTV has to air all three shows when even some participating countries only broadcast one semi and the final. Asking Armenia to broadcast the final without any interruptions would have been enough imo.
I agree, Toggie. Even broadcasting the semi that Armenia was originally scheduled to be in and the grand final would have seemed like fair punishment, but when Spain refuses to air all three shows, why should non-participating Armenia?
Anyway, I’m sure that Armenia is going to comply. They love ESC.
I agree with both of you, because I think more fault has Spain – that is participating – not showing the second semifinal, than Armenia, which even though it’s not participating they have to show the three shows…. They are obliged, and that is not a ESC type of way of doing stuff… If they withdrew there’s no problem at all, but they will decide if they will broadcast the contest or not!
It does all seem rather extreme but I stated elsewhere that this would more than likely happen and it looks like I’ve been proven right. I hope Armenia complies, rises above it and comes back again next year with its head held high and stronger than ever.
Rules are rules. I can only hope that they will be followed as strictly as it has happened in this case when it comes to other countries. Time will tell. Do come back, Armenia.
I hope they do as they’re told, I miss their music.
The EBU needs to show more consistency in its sanctions. It banned Lebanon for years just for saying that they wouldn’t broadcast the Israeli entry and Azerbaijan got a petty fine for more serious actual behaviour. Now they are talking about a hefty fine and a possible further ban for Armenia because they have withdrawn from the contest. When Georgia withdrew because they couldn’t sing provocative lyrics, did they get fined too? These selective punishments seem to be unfair, it should be the same rules applied to everyone. I’m still unclear as to why Armenia said they would participate and then changed their mind though.
Personally, I think this is too severe, but rules are rules and mustn’t be broken!